


Remember, Recall, Recognize

by LogicalAlo



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Angst, Base on Season 4, Brainwashing, But focus on Carmen and Gray, Eventual Smut, F/M, The rest of the Carmen cast is in this, dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:46:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25229314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LogicalAlo/pseuds/LogicalAlo
Summary: He invaded her thoughts more than she liked and has caused her multiple failures in her recent missions. However, what if the root to her problems suddenly made its appearance in San Diego? And they are stuck on opposite sides again?  A game between them both emerges with Carmen promising to bring him back. She already took him from V.I.L.E and she'll gladly do it again.
Relationships: Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep/Gray | Crackle
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	Remember, Recall, Recognize

The breezy air from the ocean provided the numbing sensation Carmen desired along with the steady rhythm of the ocean water as a sort of white noise. Both ill attempts in her trying to calm her mind. She sat along the edge of a small pier, not too far from her crew’s base. She glanced to see her hands clenching when she simultaneously remembered the embarrassment that today’s mission was. It was the second time in the row that she had allowed V.I.L.E to get away with it. A typical day was her making them run with their tail in between their legs and restoring peace to the distraught victims. Upon further reflection of today's failure, her face furrowed when realizing how much Tigress' taunts had affected her to the point she froze up. Even if it were for a minute at max, it was enough for the diamond to be stolen from her. What Tigress had particularly said were jeers at their old times together which wasn't a first. However, Gray kept being dragged into their fighting banter. 

"Imagine all the moments you slowed Gray down. Just like you did back at that eventful archaeological dig site. You should have seen the look of his face that night" the wanna-be female fatale sneered. 

“God, Tigress was annoying in the most possible way,” Carmen thought to herself, feeling irritated once more. 

Carmen had ignored her for the most part, but Tigress last comment before escaping really did leave an impression. "You can't see his face anymore, can you?" it echoed in her mind for days. Tigress was right, if only she hadn't been weak that night in Iceland. Carmen unclench her hands and instead brought them close to her face. She then laid back on the cold cement floor. She thought she could easily move on and pinpoint where V.I.L.E's new base was, but it hadn't been easy. It's been a week and with little luck. Shadowsan had believed they possibly took Gray to Bellum's base in the Himalayas, but she had arrived too late. The thing is that she had ‘thought” she could move forward and find him, she was overconfident. Carmen bit her lip harshly. When Player had casually asked her after the mess today, if she was alright, she froze up. She didn't want them to feel bad for her, she was truly alright. She wanted to believe she was. 

Although, with such simplicity that the question presented itself with; no answer came from her. She evaded it since she didn’t know herself. It wouldn’t be the first time she thought about him. Pondering if he had already forgotten her whole existence, if she had gotten there in time. It was sort of a silly expectation; how was anyone supposed to forget someone in a matter of weeks? Seems like her ex-classmates knew her dilemma all too well, using it as their trump card lately, then again they were V.I.L.E. 

“Those assholes,” Carmen mumbled softly to the night sky. She had to snap out of it, two was too generous. She shook her head and remained on the cement feeling an incoming headache. Weakly moving her hands to massage her temple. Lost in her own world of thoughts. Too lost that she failed to detect someone nearby, but to her luck it was just an ally making sure she was safe. Shadowsan stood near the steps that led to the pier, watching the young thieve absent. He decided to track her down, when Zack had brought up that more than thirty minutes had gone by since Carmen told them she would be out. The elder volunteered to look for the young lady, he was sure she would be safe, but like the rest of the crew worried about her lack of focus lately. 

Three minutes have gone by with Carmen failing to see him. He hoped she did, but just didn’t feel like talking. He turned around with his destination back. 

“Child, needs her space,” he thought to himself. He knew too well that sometimes loneliness allowed the best sort of reflection. Walking at a steady pace he headed back to headquarters taking one last look at the pensive young lady. 

Shadowsan heaved a sign when he opened the door. Hearing the noise, Ivy became alarmed and quickly approached the ex-V.I.L.E instructor to ask him about Carmen.

“Is she alright? She had been gone for more than thirty minutes. Geez, were we that annoying,” she nervously jokes to lighten the mood. Keeping his deadpan expression, Shadowsan began to make his way to the kitchen to obtain an apple and a knife. Ivy followed closely behind, waiting for an answer. He began to peel the apple to make it have an appearance of a bunny, placing them neatly on a plate. 

“Yes” he paused before continuing, “She is sorting her emotions. She had lost someone very close to her. Best to give her space, so head up to sleep,” he advised as he finished peeling the apple slices. Ivy’s face was full of worry over her dear friend. Ivy knew her worrying wouldn’t help, especially if it’s something personal to Carmen. As a friend what she can do is support from afar and be ready when Carmen did decide to open up. 

“You’re right. Carmen would want that. I really do hope we are able to find Gray. Best to go get some rest.” she bid Shadowsan goodnight and left to her room, but not before informing Zack that Carmen was alright.

Shadowsan looked at the apple slices he had peeled before giving a small smile, he really got soft over the years. He covered up the apple slices in plastic to keep them fresh and left to his own room. He gave one last look at the front door hoping Carmen would arrive to an epiphany to whatever has had her mind occupied. 

It had been a good hour that she had spent outside and the cool breeze front the waters had finally gotten to her. Carmen stood up and adjusted her hoodie before turning her back to the ocean that kept her company. Her walk back had begun quietly and rather peaceful. Unfortunately that tranquility was abruptly interrupted by a very familiar laugh that caught her complete attention. She quickly scanned her surroundings hoping to find the source of the noise, but it was just her alone near the pier’s entrance. Carmen let out a soft laugh and she joked to herself that now she must be hearing him. She continued to walk toward her destination until she heard that voice again. It was impossible, he was taken by V.I.L.E. and there was no way they would have let him out so soon or even walk freely as he was. Unless there was an ulterior motive. She turned around just to prove her mind wrong, but she saw a figure with brown hair with a similar body structure as him.

“Gray,” she said without thinking and too quiet to be heard by anyone. The figure believed to be Gray was far across the street walking along two other people she couldn’t recognize. For sure one was a female with a shrill laugh. Who? Never mind, investigating if that was Gray is her goal. Carmen pulled up her hoodies’ hood before following close behind. She would continue on street A while he would walk in Street B. Keeping him under careful eye she continued his every step. From the back it looked like him and sounded like him, she felt her heartbeat increase at the thought of encountering him. That beat she didn’t understand. She unconsciously placed her left hand close to where her heart is located. He looked dressed semi-formal compared to the other two figures she had made out to be two women who were dressed very formally in the latest trends. What the hell is Gray doing?

He soon took a turn toward a district known for its nightlife. By the time it took her to wait for the walk symbol at the intersection, she might lose him. But she just couldn’t recklessly jaywalk in the busy intersection with other night owls anxiously waiting to head into the ambivalent nightlife. So she waited, while maintaining eagle eyes on her moving target.

The walk symbol lit up, the beeping commenced and Carmen picked up her pace ignoring the onlookers reactions. She soon reached the other side before other pedestrians and moved into the street filled with food vendors and signs announcing bars, restaurants, and clubs announcing that they were open for business.

“ Geez, can you believe how hot it had gotten lately?”

“ Fuck, mirastes ese idiota.”

“ I’m so happy we get to celebrate your birthday at that new snazzy club.”

“ Now I understand why that hamburger place has a shitty one-star review on _Yelp_.”

Useless information. People with time, time that Carmen couldn’t afford to lose at this very moment. She kept trailing behind Gray all while trying to blend in with the crowd. For a second, she wondered if he were playing with her, wondering if he knew she was following close behind him. He had not once turned around to look back or at any direction, even to talk to the two women with him. Leading her on.

He just maintained a steady pace forward. She dismissed that possibility, she was too good to be detected. He suddenly came to a stop near the entrance of a club with the name _Mentira_. Like a gentleman he allowed the ladies to enter first before he walked in. He leaned his head back and heaved a heavy sign before going in. What was he exactly doing? 

With him not being in view, Carmen wasted no time in entering the club, well tried.

“ID,” asked the club’s tall bouncer. 

“I’m older than 21 if you are asking,” she responded, trying to venture inside the club’s entrance. A muscular arm quickly stopped that from happening, blocking her entrance. Carmen felt peeved being stopped from pursuing her target, but then again the man was simply doing his job. She wasn’t going to make someone’s night difficult by her own selfish venture.

“Nice, try kid. ID or you don’t get in.”

“Sorry, I forgot it in my car. I’ll go back to get it,” it was an easy lie, the irony she smiled to herself. The young hero backed off from the club’s entrance to take a second to think how she was going to get inside the club. From the back door, it would be nothing unusual to her. Away from the public view, she jumped over the gates leading to the back. On the other side of the gate, there were a few employees taking their smoke break. One looked up to see Carmen with a look disinterested and resumed breathing in the cigar’s smoke. She would have to take advantage of their minimal attention to smoothly enter the backdoor. 

Upon entering through the backdoor, she came across the near sterile, employee lounge. The near silent jazz playing in the lounge being muffled out from the pounding music from the club itself. While inside the lounge Carmen analyzed the position of cameras to try to evade their view as much as she could.

“You know, they are going to kill you if you don’t get change now. I swear we need to hire more people to keep up with the incoming patrons,” complained a feminine voice. An employee who thought Carmen to be another employee. At least she wasn’t questioning Carmen being there. 

“Will do,” Carmen responded while walking away from the lounge up to the hall leading to the doors that gave access to the club itself.. She gently opened the door and her vision took a second to adjust to the low lit atmosphere accompanied by the boisterous electronic music. She grimaced when she noted how busy the club itself was with many club goers drenched in sweat dancing their stress away, drinking their problems away, resting, to clumsily sneaking little powder.The scent of alcohol and sweat made Carmen instinctively place her hand to cover her nose as her eyes quickly scan the space. From a ground view, she had little coverage. She needed to get on a higher level. Quickly she made her way toward the stairs leading to the second level. Pushing through the crowd of careless people dancing and remarking whenever Carmen pushed them aside a little too harshly. 

“I better find Gray and-” and what? Her desperation to find him led her to sneak into a club, a damn party club.Not for stealing back an important artifact, serving justice, or other matter, but to find someone she knows. Her pace slowed down before she reached the elegant looking stairs. She felt embarrassed at herself, fretting so much over something trivial. Had she really spent her time following Gray into a club, a man she had tried to keep her distance from at various occasions. Part of her wish that maybe she had mistaken that person for Gray.

“Tell him, I’ll be there next Tuesday to discuss the minor complication,” his voice again. She could hear him nearby, she gripped the railing of the stairs and looked up to see the man in charge of her inability to focus. His brown hair slicked back as he had begun to style it post her leaving V.I.L.E., his sweet brown eyes, and his trademark dimples. It was him!

At that very moment, she felt disconnected from her body with her heading pounding. While maintaining a steady grip on the railing, she began to slowly climb the stairs, feeling her heart beat loudly. He had put his smartphone away with a look of disinterest, but it quickly twisted to a coyly look. He remained in the same spot, with both hands in his pockets observing his _friend_ climb the stairs with odd difficulty. To Carmen, it seemed that with every step she took, he was getting further away from her. Not wanting him to leave and with a dry throat, she called out his name. 

“Gray! Er- Graham!” she yelled out, not caring if her outburst caused a scene. However, everyone else was too engrossed in drinking or dancing to mind the frantic looking girl. But he did hear. He glanced down to see her slowly creep up the stairs, getting every bit closer to him. His smirk from earlier for a split second eased into a frown before turning into an insincere smile turned toward her. That didn’t go unnoticed by the professional thief. She tried to regain herself a bit and continued to climb until she reached just two mere step away from being on the same level as him.

“What are you doing here!? In San Diego out of all places? How? V.I.L.E” questions kept coming as her mind at the same time was trying to process it all. The fear that V.I.L.E had done something to him suffocating her. She stared hard at him with unshed tears. The ex-classmate/friend turned enemy to friend, moved down the stairs to reach Carmen.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m exactly ‘In SanDiego’ yet Ms. SanDiego,” he smoothly responded while offering his hand. She felt the tip of her ears go red understanding his lewd comment. She ignored his hand reaching out to her, feeling unsure about their encounter. Something felt off to her. Gray could be flirty and smooth, but there was sort of malice behind it all. Malice he had never expressed before toward her even when they sadly fought each other in the train. She glanced at his eyes, cold and dead. Goosebumps made their way to the back of her neck. His brown eyes were so cold and uninviting. She took a step back and he took a step forward. This isn’t her Gray.

“You didn’t answer the question, Graham” her voice became steady once more and so had her posture. The man before her wasn’t who she knew, she couldn’t let her guard down at this very moment. 

“Ouch, thought it was Gray,” he taunted pretending to be hurt. His facial expression was more of a wry look with a smirk mocking Carmen. She lifted to head high and closed the gap between them. 

“Tough luck, Graham. Now I’ll repeat this one more time-” she pulled him closer as she strongly grasped the front of his shirt, “-what the hell are you doing here?”

He lightly chuckled not minding the situation he was in with a pretty lady threatening him. He kinda was enjoying it. 

“You know I thought you would be happy to see me, after all we are friends and we did help save New Zealand together. We are the good guys, right?” chuckling to no one when he saw the agonizing expression on her face. The look complete with her bun starting to come undone. She wasn’t gonna back off, so her grip tightened even more with their foreheads nearly touching. Time had seemed to have slowed down or more as if they were the only two in the busy club. The dry sensation returned to Carmen and her mind panicked to what could be occurring. The possibility of him regaining his memories had crossed her mind, but if he did, she sure it wouldn’t be this way. 

Gray kept his sight on Carmen watching her expression change constantly from milliseconds of joy to moments of confusion and frustration. His head began to throb a bit, only a bit. The electrician felt her grip loosen. Taking advantage of that, his right hand reached into his coat’s pocket. Carmen’s eyes widen at his sudden movement, immediately feeling something cold near her stomach. Her hands became shaky trying to move them to the object pressing into her. The faint noise of cracking electricity made its debut. Gray shifted a bit from their position moving his face to where his mouth was close to Carmen’s ear. 

“Baa, baa Black Sheep,” the crackling noise became louder and soon Carmen found her body trembling from electricity coursing over her body, just the right amount to knock her out. Losing conscious, she began to sense herself falling. However, that never came as Gray supported her weight making it seem to onlookers as if they were any other couple hugging in the club. The young woman in his arms was desperately trying to maintain herself awake, but not much success. She tried to speak, but nothing would be heard, her eyelids became extremely heavy. As her head began to droop Carmen’s view fell to Gray’s chest where she spotted a logo on his jacket. With the energy left, she uttered two words.

“Fucking V.I L.E,” she had blacked out.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I decided to open an new AO3 account (my old one was Alondres26). 
> 
> Edit: Changed it from ACME to VILE as ACME was as shady as I thought it was. In addtion making it V.I.L.E would make more sense with season 4. I want to say thank you to those who haven't given up on this fic. I will continue this fanfic with newfound inspiration (1/21/2021).


End file.
